ALEXANDRIA, Va. — The National Association of Chain Drug Stores and National Community Pharmacists Association issued a statement on Thursday announcing that they commend Reps. Bruce Braley, D-Iowa; Mike Rogers, R-Mich.; and 38 of their colleagues who expressed concerns with draft Federal Upper Limits lists that recently have been published by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

“We are concerned that these lists contain flawed information that is not reliable for use in establishing pharmacy reimbursement in Medicaid. We ask that you direct states not to use these draft lists for reimbursement purposes until they can be improved and finalized through a formal notice of proposed rule,” the members of Congress wrote in a letter to CMS.

NACDS and NCPA also have expressed concern with the draft FUL lists in written comments to CMS. “We are heartened that our arguments have been given further credibility by a large bipartisan group of representatives,” stated NACDS president and CEO Steve Anderson and NCPA CEO B. Douglas Hoey. “We want to especially thank Representatives Braley and Rogers for their leadership on this important issue.”

In addition to urging CMS to cease publication of draft FUL lists until a final AMP rule is in place, the representatives also urged the agency to be mindful of comprehensive pharmacy reimbursement. “When setting pharmacy reimbursement rates, both components of reimbursement — product cost and cost to dispense — must be taken into consideration when determining whether pharmacies are paid adequately,” the members of Congress wrote.